From Rock to the Rock

A young man overcomes his rock music addiction.

“Must you make all that racket?” my mom hollered. I didn’t care. My parents, who were mostly into rock and rave music, had just gotten me a brand-new drum set for my 13th birthday, and I was highly motivated to learn to play it. My new passion was born.

Music consumed my thoughts. By the end of my first year in high school, my numerous hours of practicing every day paid off. I held a membership in two different bands and was well on my way to developing my own beats. My current band’s publicity grew, and we started playing for pubs. I attended more and more parties, during which my band would have jam sessions and smoke marijuana.

Sporting long hair and wearing mostly black attire, I added technical and heavy death metal rock music to my repertoire. When the time came to begin college, I realized that I wasn’t good at much beside drumming. Frustrated, I moved out of my parent’s home at age 18 to pursue audio engineering, which seemed to be my best chance at making drumming a lasting career. I stayed for a time with my grandmother, unaware that she had become a Seventh-day Adventist.

I was deep into New Age, Hinduism and meditation—searching for truth that seemed impossible to find. The Lord guided me through my grandmother. She taught me about the Law of God and the ongoing war between Christ and Satan. I realized how much Christ loves me and that He gave His life for me. I felt broken inside. My grandmother comforted me by talking about God’s forgiveness. “Please forgive me, because I can see that my life is so full of sin,” I prayed.

Unfortunately, sin still had a hold on my life. My marijuana addiction often clouded my mind and I couldn’t understand what I was reading when I opened God’s Word.

One day, I found a book called Inside Rock Music by Vance Ferrell. Reading it changed my perceptions about my behavior, and my new-found knowledge compelled me to try and change.  Tension arose at our band practice sessions when I introduced a new “church” style to our music. I changed our timing to a marching cadence.

Eventually I was kicked out because I no longer fit in, but rock music still had a stronghold. “Lord, I submit this to you,” I prayed. “Please take this addiction to rock music away.” That night I remember feeling a real sense of peace. I gave up rock music, and no longer felt the urge to take drugs or swear. I went from playing for drunken people in a pub and manipulating their senses, to singing sweet songs in church for God’s glory.

I understand now that rock music and Christian music are polar opposites and cannot co-exist. Christian music is godly and exemplifies Christ, while rock music is about self and glorifies Satan. I praise God for pulling me away from the darkness and into His marvelous light.


Location
New Zealand

Author
Kahn Elmers is from New Zealand and is now working at NEW START Children Home in Zimbabwe.

How You Can Help
Pray for Kahn to stay faithful to the truth and win many people to the Lord!